Device for turning nursing-nipples.



No. 890,885. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908. E. L. STUART & S. A. GONINE. DEVICE FOR TURNING NURSING NIPPLES.

APPLICATION FILED APE.2'I, 1906.

Carmina.

ATTORA/Hfl WITNESSES:

nu: NORRIS FE'IERS cm, WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST LEROY STUART AND STEPHEN ABRAM OONINE, OF NEW HAMBURG, NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1908.

Application filed April 27, 1906. Serial No. 314,107.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ERNEST LEROY STU- ART and STEPHEN ABRAM OONINE, citizens of the United States, residing at New Hamburg,

its being thoroughly cleansed.

With this briefly stated object in view, the invention comprises certain details of construction and peculiar combination and ar rangement of parts as will be fully set forth in the following specification and pointed out in the claims reference being had to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of our device. Fig. 2 is a similar view looking at the opposite end of the device. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a modified construction. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the common forms of nipples now in use. Fig. 6 is a similar View showing the neck portion turned back and which is the first step in the operation of turning the nipple. Fig 7 is a perspective view illustrating the operation, and Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a nipple showing our improvement in position and illustrating the operation of turning the nipp In constructing a device in accordance with our invention, we employ a rod A, of stout wire or other suitable material which is bent at one end to provide a circular or oval shaped handle B, and adjacent its opposite end, the rod is formed or provided with a circular flange or collar 0, from which projects a prong D, that is of a smaller diameter than the body portion of the rod.

Held upon the prong and resting against the flange or collar 0, is a cylindrical sleeve E, preferably constructed of rubber, but which may be of wood, glass, or other suitable material. The cylindrical sleeve is shorter in length than the prong and the latter, therefore extends slightly beyond the end of the sleeve as illustrated most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, said prong being designed to extend into one of the openings of the nipple and the end of the sleeve provides a bearing surface for engagement with the nipple as will appear later.

i/Ve may find it desirable to construct the device of wire and bend it spirally as shown at F, to provide the collar or flange and to utilize the end F, as the prong as shown most clearly in Fig. 4 of the drawing, and we may also bend the opposite end of the wire at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the body portion and twist the ends spirally as at w, to provide a bearing surface against which the alm of the hand could rest when a nipple is eing turned. This construction of handle would be desirable when nipples of unusual thickness or stiffness are used.

The purpose and advantage of our device will be best understood from the following description of its use. When it is desired to turn a nipple, the open end or collar portion by which the nipple is connected to a bottle, is first turned back as illustrated in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, of the drawing, the said end is then grasped in one hand and with our turning device held in the other hand, the end of the prong that projects beyond the sleeve is in serted in one of the holes of the mouth-piece of the'nipple which prevents either the nipple or our device from slipping, and then by pressing the device to push the mouth-piece of the nipple inwardly, the nipple will be quickly and easily turned inside out. It will thus be seen this operation is exceedingly simple and requires but a short time for completion, and by providing the cylindrical sleeve, all injury to the nipple is positively eyoided which consequently lengthens its The nipples now generally used are made with extremely long necks and it has been found necessary to use various objects such as pencils or sticks to reverse them which is necessary in order to thoroughly cleanse and keep them in a sanitary condition, but with the use of such objects, the nipples are easily injured by being torn and consequently necessitating new ones, but with our device these objections are overcome and the nipples may be readily and quickly turned without the slightest injury.

In practice we propose to slightly concave the outer end of the sleeve E, so as to provide a sharp edge for engagement with the nipple for the purpose of reducing the tendency of the sleeve or nipple slipping when the nipple is being turned.

Having thus fully described our invention,

What We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the kind described cornprising a rod having a bearing surface at one end, and a prong projecting therefrom.

2. A device of the kind described comprising a rod having a flange or collar at one end, a prong projecting from the flange, a sleeve held upon the prong, said sleeve being shorter than the prong, thereby permitting the latter to extend beyond the ends of the sleeves for the purpose specified.

3. A device of the kind described comprising a rod having one end bent to provide a handle, and its opposite end provided With a flange orcollar, a prong extending from the flange or collar, and a rubber sleeve held upon the prong, said sleeve being shorter than the prong, thereby permitting the prong to extend beyond the end of the sleeve sub stantially as specified.

4. A device of the kind described constructed of' a piece of Wire which is bent spirally at one end at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the body portion of the Wire, and at its opposite end to provide a flange or collar from Which extends the end of the Wire to provide a prong, and-a sleeve held upon the prong.

ERNEST LEROY STUART. STEPHEN ABRAM CONINE, Witnesses:

IRVING S. WILLIAMS, EDWARD HOLT. 

